died on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan in 1675. Marquette had
kept daily memoranda of his expedition, but during the return
voyage up the Mississippi his papers were lost. He afterward
composed from memory his narrative published under the title
"Travels and Discoveries in North America." It has been printed in
the "Historical Collections of Louisiana," and in Hart's "American
History Told by Contemporaries."

In this journey, occupying about four months, Marquette and Joliet
paddled their canoes more than 2,500 miles. It has been maintained
by some writers, and among them Mr. Thwaites, that Joliet and
Marquette were as much the real discoverers of the Mississippi as
Columbus was the discoverer of America. While Europeans had
actually reached the Mississippi before them, just as Asiatics and
Norwegians probably had reached America before Columbus, it was
Joliet and Marquette who first wrote narratives of their
expedition, prepared excellent maps, and were followed by others
who opened the region to enterprise and settlement. Of de Soto's
century-and-a-quarter earlier discovery, nothing came, while the
contention put forth for La Salle that he made an earlier visit
than Joliet and Marquette is based "on the merest surmise."

[2] The Mississippi.

[3] The arm of Lake Michigan, now called Green Bay.

[4] The town of Prairie du Chien lies just north of the confluence
of the Wisconsin and Mississippi rivers.